FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Mike Rudin

June 2, 2014 Shirley & Banister Public Affairs

703-739-5920/800-536 -5920
mrudin@sbpublicaffairs.com

Tea Party Patriots Files Ethics Complaints Against Sen.
Majority Leader Harry Reid and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse
Political Intimidation and Use of Taxpayer Resources to
Reward Democrat Donors Cited
ATLANTA, GA Today, Jenny Beth Martin, co-founder of Tea Party Patriots, filed a
formal complaint in the Senate against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) for his
abuse of political power to intimidate private citizens and, conversely, use of his office to
reward Democratic donors. Tea Party Patriots also filed an ethics complaint against
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) for his efforts to force the Department of Justice and
the IRS to criminally prosecute conservative citizens organizations.
The complaint against Senator Reid, filed today with the Senate Select Committee on
Ethics, requests that the committee, investigate whether Senator Harry Reid (D-NV)
violated Senate rules by unlawfully and unethically targeting private citizens, Charles and
David Koch, whose philosophical and political views are in opposition to Senator Reids
philosophy and to misuse Senate resources to reward Tom Steyer, a mega-donor to
Democrats in the Senate.
Further, the complaint raises the question of whether Senator Reid, has misused Senate
staff or resources to engage in partisan campaign activity in violation of federal law and
Senate rules, according to the complaint.
Its been generations since a member of the Senate has abused the power of his office to
attack private citizens the way Harry Reid has sought to vilify Charles and David
Koch, said Mrs. Martin. Reids repeated and mean-spirited attacks violate federal laws
and Senate rules against using taxpayer-funded resources for partisan politics and he
knows it, yet he repeatedly takes to the floor of the Senate and the media to attack those
with whom he disagrees and then turns around and devotes the Senate floor to a talk-a-
thon on a major donors key issue of climate change. Harry Reid is abusing his office in
-more-


pursuit of naked political purposes and it is a gross misuse of his taxpayer-funded office.
The Complaint against Senator Whitehouse focuses on his demands that the criminal
division of the IRS and the Public Integrity Division of the Department of Justice initiate
criminal investigations and proceedings against conservative grassroots groups for
engaging in protected First Amendment activities.
The complaints reflect the latest effort by Tea Party Patriots to shed light on, punish and
prevent, the systematic abuse of power by elected officials and the Obama administration to
target select groups and individuals, including Internal Revenue Service intimidation of
groups seeking tax-exempt status, Members of Congress advocating criminal investigations
of groups engaging in free speech, and S.J. Res 19, the effort by Senate Democrats to re-
write the First Amendment through an amendment to the Constitution that would give
Congress and the states the power to regulate free speech.
This is nothing more than a continuation of the thuggish intimidation campaign mounted by
the Obama administration to target and silence people and organizations Democrats
disagree with. It has to stop, continued Martin. The Senate is obliged to investigate
allegations of ethical misconduct and we trust the Senate Select Committee on Ethics will
accept this obligation in an open and honest manner.
Tea Party Patriots is a national grassroots coalition with more than 3,400 locally organized chapters and
more than 15 million supporters nationwide. Tea Party Patriots is a non-profit, non-partisan organization
dedicated to advancing personal freedom, economic freedom, and a debt-free future. Visit Tea Party
Patriots online at www.TeaPartyPatriots.org.
For further information or to schedule an interview with Jenny Beth Martin,
please contact Mike Rudin with Shirley & Banister Public Affairs at (703) 739-
5920 or (800) 536-5920.

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